Aircraft-housing device



June 1 6, 1925.

A L. STEVENS AIRCRAFT HOUSING DEVICE Filed Jan. 25. 1924 4 s t -s t 1 z u m w m W a 3 A L. STEVENS AIRCRAFT HOUSING DEVICE June 16, 1925.

Filed Jan. 25. 1 924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 16, 1925. 1,542,484

A L. STEVENS AIRCRAFT HOUSING DEVICE Filed Jan. 25'. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwoentoz A L. STEVENS AIRCRAFT HOUSING DEVICE June 16, 1925,

Filed Jan. 25. 1924 4 s t -sh t 4 Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES A. LEOSTEVENS, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

' ammr-nousme nnvrcn.

Application filed January 25, 1924. Serial No. 688,461.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, A. LEO S'rnvnNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belleville, in the county of St. Clair anddoor of an aircraft hangar for controlling the efi'ect of wind upon an aircraft entering or leaving a hangar.

One of the most serious problems in handling aircraft of the. lighter than air type, is the problem of successfully handling such air craft while it is entering or leaving its hangar. The number of disasters caused by the eflect of crosswinds on such craft while entering or leaving their hangars is well known. Others have sought to meet this problem by mounting the hangar or at least a portion of the same on a turntable so that it will always be possible to lead the craft into or out of the hangar directly up or down wind.

It is the object of my invention to provide a method of and means for successfully housing such craft irrespective of the direction of thewind.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a method of and means for fgreatly assisting in the handling of such are upon the landing of the same and until it is housed.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the accompanying specification and c aims and will be found in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device m operation.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of my device.

Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in section of my mounting means.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of my device mounted on a mobile base.

Referring in greater particularity to the drawin it will be seen that the apparatus which devised for overcoming the efiect of adverse winds on aircraft consists in means for providin a current of air to counterbalance or n ify the eifect of such winds on the craft. e

Referring first to Figure 1, it will be seen that I propose to station one or more engines 1 provided with suitable air fans or propellers 2 at suitable locations just without the doors 3 of a hangar 4.

Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that I have provided a mounting base 5 adapted to be secured to either a mobile or stationary base by means of any suitable retaining means inserted through apertures 6. The mounting base 5 has a centrally upstanding portion 7 terminating in a bearing late 8 provided with a suitable race 9 for roller bearings 10. Centrally of this plate there is a recess 11 adapted to rotatably receive the hub 12 of the turntable 13,. the turntable 13 being fixed against motion relative vertically with respect to saidbase plate by a suitable bolt 14 and plate 15, the plate 15 having a ball bearing engagement with a race 16 on the under side of said base plate.

Fixedly secured to the turntable is a substantially triangular yoke frame 17. One of the sides of each of the triangular arms of the frame 17 is of arcuate configuration and is provided with suitable gear teeth 18. The motor bed 19 is pivoted at one end at 20 to the turntable and has mounted in its other end, on suitable bearings, a shaft 21 fixedly secured to a pinion 22 the teeth of which are adapted to mesh with teeth 18 of the frame 17. A recess 23 is provided in the turntable for the reception of pinion 22 when the turntable is in horizontal position.

Fixedly secured to the motor bed 19 are bearings 24 provided for mounting a worm shaft 25 terminating at an end in a worm gear 26 and at-the other in a hand wheel 27. The worm gear is adapted to actuate pinion 22 through a recess 28 in the base of the bed. A suitable cover casing 29 is provided for the worm gear to prevent ingress of dust and dirt.

Suitable lock means 30 is provided to lock the turntable in any desired position with relation tothe base.

The engine 1 is secured by any suitable means to the motor bed 19, and is provided with air fans or propellers, preferably of the pusher ty e.

It will e readily seen that any required number of these devices can be provided at the points necessary just without the hangar. To provide for changing winds it is desirable to have one or more of these elements mounted on mobile bases such as are shown in Figures I and4. When it is desired to means comprising means for inducing a flow use my principle in landing such craft it of air upwind of said adverse wind flow, may be necessary to mount any device on and means for adjusting saidsecond named motor driven trucks as shown in Figure 1. means around a horizontal axis. 7

From the foregoing my device will be 3. Means for assisting in the housing of seen to operateas follows: Upon ascertainaircraft under adverse wind conditions, said ing the direction of the adverse wind the means comprising means for inducing a flow stationary and mobile elements described of air upwind of said adverse Wind flow, will be first placed in the most advantaand means for adjusting said second named geous positions. The motor beds will then be means around horizontal and vertical axes. rotated on their bases until the proper direc- 4. In combination, in means for assisting tion of operation of the air fans is reached. in housing aircraft under adverse wind con- The turntables will then be locked in this position. By the operation of the handfiy said power means, said power -means wheels the axis of rotation ofth'e propellers eing adjustable around a horizontal axis. will then be elevated to the desired angle, 5. In combination, in means for assisting the angle depending largely upon the type in housing aircraft under adverse wind conand size of craft and somewhat upon the ditions, power means, a propeller operated direction of the wind. The engines are by said power means, said power 'means then started and are operated at a speed." being adjustable around horizontal and versuflicient to create a back flow of air sufiitical axes. cient to nullify the effect of the adverse wind upon the air craft. housing aircraft under adverse wind condi- If it is desired to use this same principle biOliS, said means including portable means in the landingv of aircraft one or more of for inducing a flow of air upwind of said my devices can be mounted n tr k s h adverse wind stream to nullify the effect of as is shown in Figure 1 and moved to any such adverse winds upon said aircraft. d sir d portion of th la din fi ld h 7. In comblnatiom in a means for assisting by reating thi upwind flow of i th can in landing and housing of aircraft under greatly assist .in the landing of the craft f1ldVeT8 d Conditions, po tab e means for and in the handling of the same While it d g a fl of r upwlnd of said adis being moved to its hangar, I verse wind stream carrying) power means Obviously, if it is desired to land such and propeller Operated 5 said Power an i ft Over water my d i can b means, and means for adjusting said power mounted in motor boats and the like 'withmeans to y the direction f flow f he out departing from the spirit of this i airstream created by. the rotation of said v nt-ion, propeller.

I claim; 8. Means for assisting in landing and 1, M ns fo i ti i th h i f housing of aircraft under adverse wind conaircraft under adverse wind conditions, said ditlons, i means including Portable m s means comprising means for inducing a flow for induclng a flow of air pw nd 0f Said of air upwind of said adv r wi d fl adverse wind flow, and means for adjusting and means for adjusting said s ond nemfl said portable means to vary the direction means around a vertical axis. f h n u d w f air.

2. Means for assisting inthe housing of In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

aircraft under adverse wind conditions, said A. LEO STEVENS.

6. Means for assisting in landing andditions, power means, a propeller operated n 

